Skate event highlights park’s worth
Big waves at this week’s surfing nationals may have stopped 9-year-old Indica Corcoran from competing – but it didn’t stop him from getting on another board.
The Oakura Board Riders and New Plymouth District Council’s ‘Let’s Go’ team hosted the Oakura Skate Jam, a skateboarding competition at Oakura Skate Park on Friday.
Indica, who has been skating for four years, travelled from Mount Maunganui to compete in the Health 2000 National Surfing Championships but opted for a board with wheels instead, after the waves proved too big.
He said the skate parks were more challenging up north so he had to practice to get where he is today.
‘‘I had to try a little bit hard because there’s a lot of skate parks that I live near that are crazy ones with big stuff,’’ he said.
He thought Oakura’s $360,000 skate park was worth the trip.
‘‘I reckon it’s really good,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s fun and the bowl is really good and smooth. There’s a lot of good spots for tricks.’’
Taupo¯ skateboarder Rhya Henare, 12, agreed, after having a few successful runs of the bowl.
‘‘The bowl is pretty good,’’ she said.
Henare wasn’t shy of competitions and said she was used to the nerves of a big event.
‘‘In nationals I got third this year and there was one in Mangawhai, past Auckland and I got first in that one,’’ she said.
Oakura Board Riders member John Shewry said the event was to recognise the skate park as competition worthy.
After opening in June he said it had become a well used asset for the region.
‘‘This bowl in particular is quite a unique bowl so it attracts different types of skaters.’’
The competition had three events – a session for young skaters, open men’s division and open women’s and started at 4pm.
He said the bowl was a big step-up for skating in Taranaki and he hoped people took the sport seriously.
‘‘Skaters take it seriously but getting the public to view it as a serious sport is another thing all together."